Tiltable-switch-adjusting means



Dec. 6, 1927.

1,651,630 L. A. M. PHELAN TILTABLE swrrca ADJUSTING amas Filed Dec. 22. 1926 im I 35 i ,Zw #l/M Patented Dec. 6, 1927.4

. UNITED STATES.V

, 1,651,630 TENT OFFICE.

LOUIS A. M. PHELAN, F ELXHAM, INDIANA., ASSIGNOR TO CON-TAC-TOR CORPORA- TION, OF ELKHAR'I, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

TILTAnLn-swrrcH-AnJUsT-Ine MEANS.

Application med December 2.2, 1826. `Serial No. 158,342.

This invention relates to tiltable switches and has particular reference to the adjusting i means for timing the actuation of such compact and coherent body of current-conducting iluid through the agency of which a pair of electrodes hermetically sealed with- Ain said tube are brought into electrical conducting relation with each other when said tube is tilted to aepredetermined position.

In a tiltable switch, such as has been described, it is highly desirable to obtain a very close control of the actuation thereof and to be `able to adjust this control very accuratel It is, invention to provide an adjustment for accurately timing the actuation vof a tiltable switch.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjusment for the purpose as labove described which is simple and eiiicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Further objects will be apparent from the description and drawings forming a part lof this specification to which reference may now be had for a more complete understanding of the characteristic features of this invention in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a front, elevational view of a mercury tube switch and casing embodying this invention showing the cover removed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of switch showing the casing in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View 'taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the switch comprises a box-like housing or casing 10 in which the operating elements of the switch are-disposed, the same being enclosed by a lid 11.

A terminal board 12 is disposed within the housing 10 and suitably secured to the back wall of said housing as by means of screws 13, said terminal board being lmade the the

the

therefore, one of the objects of this 'A member 32, preferably stamped from a of aninsulating material. A pair of bindlng posts .-14 are mounted on the terminal boar 12 and similar binding posts 15 are connected to said posts 14 through contact strips 16.

A pair of leadwires 17 are connected to the binding posts 15 and extend to electrodes 18 disposed within an evacuated sealed mercury contactor tube 19 which tube also contams a body of mercury 20 adapted to iow back and forth therein to bridge said electrodes 18. The contacter tube is rigidly held in a. clip 21, which latter is fixed to ,a tiltable supportin member 22. The member 22 is substantia y L-shaped when viewed from the side whereby two bearing portions 23 and 24 are provided in which a shaft 25 is journalled providing thereby a pivotal mounting for said member 22 about shaft 25.

In order that the lead-in wires are brought as close as possible to the center of tilt of the contacter 19, an insulating washer 26 floats on shaft 25 and has perforations therein throughwhich the lead-wires 17 are loosely passed. This construction minimizes to a marked degree the strain which would ordinarily be placed upon said lead-wires .and 'insures the free movement of the contactor tube.

In the drawings, a pressure responsive device is shown in which this invention-is used and it is to be' understood that this showing is for illustrative purposes only as this invention may be associated with varioustypes of devices. A container 27, in which the pressure varies, is connected to an expansible and contractible casing 29 by means of a conduit 28 through which the duid under pressure within said container is conducted to 9 said casing. The casing 29 is suitably mounted on a bracket 3() on the back wall of the housing 10 and is provided with a cone-shaped member 31 at its left hand side.

piece of sheet metal, is pivotally secured to the bl'aket 30 and extends upwardly fw'- through a forked projection 33 formed byg, a projection on said bracket 30. This member 32 is adapted to bemoved in response t0 pressure changes in the container 27 thereagainst by the j, j

reason of the pressing cone-shaped member 31.

An adjustable spring 34 has its left handig-*11.0

end connected to the member 32 in an suitable manner whereby when said mem r 29 contracts, the member 32 is constantly kept in contact with the cone-shapedv member 31, the aforesaid spring member being capable of adjustment through the thumb-screw 34 to which the right hand end of the spring is secured. It will be apparent that a movement in either direction of the container 29 will cause a movement of the ,member 32 in a like direction.

A substantially U-shaped .member 35 having a recessed portion 36 on one side thereof is disposed between the bearing portions 23 and 24, said member being pivotally mounted on the shaft 25. A pin 37 is journalled in a slot 38 provided in the recessed portion 36 and has a reduced portion 39 extending outwardly therefrom upon which a-collar 40 is secured between the tiltable member 22 and the tiltable U-shaped member 35. An adjustable compression spring 41 is mounted on the pin 37 and extends inwardly therefrom to be held in a compressed relation between the member 35 and a. nut 42 in threaded engagement with the `end of the pin 37.

It will be seen that the pin 37 is thus firmly held against movement in the slot 38 except by manual force, the compression spring 41 tending to create a holding means by urging the collar 40 against the member 35. The reduced portion 39, extending outwardly from the pin 37, passes through a triangular opening 43 in lthe member 22, said opening being above the pivotal point about which said member 22 is adapted to be swung.

A link 44 is pivotally secured to the U- shaped member 35 and extends to be pivotally connected to the member 32. By means of this connection, the member 32 moving in response to pressure changes within the container 27 will likewise move the U-shaped member 35 in the same direction. Also. a movement by said U-shaped member will cause a movement of the tiltable member 22 by means of a contact between the pin 37 and one of the side walls of the triangular opening'.

When the in 39 is positioned at the bottom o the triangular opening, said pin must move from the corner thereof to the other corner thereof, and it has, therefore, a maximum movement prior to contacting with the sides of the opening and thereafter moving said tiltable switch. If on the other hand, the pin 39 is raised by manually forcing the pin against the tension of the spring until said pin is positioned substantially in the upper apex of the triangular opening, then the contactor will instantly respond to pressure changes, there being no lost motion between said pin 39 and the sides of the opening. Any desirable 'adjustment between these two extremes may considerably reducing the size of the opening required to actuate the contacter with maximum efficiency.

Moreover, the above described adjusting means eventuates a very close control of the tilting time of the switch, and is particularly desirable in that the operator of the switch may at all times have a visual indication of just how he has changed the adjustment control.

When it is desirable to actua-te thecontactor tube 19 by means of a pressure responsive device, it is preferable to employ the hereinb'efore described pressure apparatus comprising the container 27 connected to the expansible and contractible casin 29 by a conduit or tube 28 in which latter tic bore is substantially ten-thousandths of an inch in diameter and the wall is substantially ifteen-thousandths of an inch thick. The bore of the tube 28 is in the nature of a capillary tube and the purpose of having such a small bore is to permit the tube 28 to be bent without any substantial deformation of the bore.

Further, the diameter of the bore is such that the volume of the vapor content within the tube will be substantially minimized and remain at all times a substantially negligible distance from the volume of the vapor content in the bellows 29 and the container 27. Therefore, as a result of this small passage-way, the container 27 is the real vtemperature control for the bellows 29 and any application of temperature that the tube 28 may be subjected to will not inconvenience .the operation of the bellows 29 because the volume of vapor content within the tube 28 will be so small relative to the vapor content in the bellows 29 and the coutainer 27 that any temperature changes to which the tube 28 may be subjected will have a negligibley effect upon the operation of the bellows 29.

While but one embodiment of this invention hasbeen shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications of this type of adjusting means may be apparent to one skilled in the art, and consequently, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted,

llO

asuman means on said shaft for actuating said tilting member, said member anc said means being adjustably connected by thc projection of said means through said opening, and means for actuating said iii-st mentioned means.

2. In a tiltable switch, a tiltable men'iber having a triangular opening formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltablc member is mounted, means on .said shaft for actuating said tilting member, said member and said means being adjustably connected by the projection of said means through lsaid trian ular opening, and means for actuating said tgist mentioned means.

3. lin a tiltable switch, a. tiltable member having an opening formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted, means on said shaft for engagement with said opening for actuating said tilting member, and means for actuating said first mentioned means, said opening being Aof such shape that adjustment of said means therein varies the time of response of said tiltable member.

ln a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tilt-able mem-- ber is mounted, adjustable means on said shaft for engagement with said opening to vary the times between contact with the opposed sides of said opening, and means fgr actuating said first mentioned means.

5. dn a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted, a second member tiltably mounted on said shaft, adjustable means mounted on said second member for engagement with said opening to vary the times between contact'with the opposed sides of said opening, and means for actuating said second member.

6. in a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an `opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted, a second member tiltably mounted on said shaft, a pin adjustably mounted on said second member and projecting through said opening to vary the times between contactwith the opposed sides of said opening, and means for actuating said second member.

7. n a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable mem ber is mounted, a second member having a slot therein and tiltably mounted on said shaft, a pin for adjustment longitudinally in said slot and for engagement with said opening to vary the times between Contact with the opposed sides of said opening, and means for actuating said second member.

8. ln a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a sha-ft on which said tiltable member is mounted, a U-shaped member having a slot in one side thereof and tiltably mounted on 'said shaft adjacent said tiltable men1- ber, a pin for adjustment longitudinally in said slot and. for engagement with said opening, tensioning means for holding said pin in a positive position, said pin projecting through said opening to vary the times between contact with the opposed sides of said opening, and means for actuating said U- shaped member.

n 9. lln a tiltable switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted, a second member tiltably mounted on said shaft, adjustable means mounted on said second member for engagement with said opening to vary the tnnes between contact with the opposed sides of said opening, a third member responsive to predetermined conditions for actuating said second member.,

l0. lin. a ti table switch, a tiltable member having an opening of varying width formed therein, a shaft on which said tiltable member is mounted, a mercury tube contacter mounted on said tiltable member, a second member tiltably mounted on said shaft, adjustable means mounted on said second member for engagement with said openmg to vary the times between contact with the opposed sides of said opening whereby an accurate adjustment of the tilting time of said contactor is obtained, and a third member responsive to predetermined conditions for actuating said second member.

11. ln an electric switch, a base, a shaft fixed thereto, a supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a triangular opening therein, a mercury tube contactor fixed on said supporting member, a U-shaped member pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a slot in one side thereof, a pin for engagement with said slot and adjustable longitudinally thereof, spring tensioning means for holding said pin in a positive position, said pin projecting through lsaid opening to vary the times between contact with the opposed sides of said opening, and a third member mounted on said base and movable in response to pressure changes, said member being connected to said U-shaped member for actuating the same.

12. in an electric switch, a base, a shaft fixed thereto, a supporting member pivotally mounted on said shaft and having a. triangular opening therein, a mercury tube contaetorfixed on said supporting member, lead wires connected from said base to said contactor, means for minimizing the strain on said wires when said cont-actor is tilted comprising an insulating washer floating on said shaft through which said wires are dit Sti

loosely passed,' a U-sha ed member pivotally mounted on said s aft and .having a slot in one side thereof, e pin 0r.,engagement with saidv slot and .adjustable longi- 5 tudinally thereof, sgring tensioning means for holding-said pm 1n a postwex position, said pin projecting through said open` ing to vary withlthefopposeri sidesvofsail opening, and

e third member mounted on said base and 10 movable in response to pressure chan es, said member being connected to said. -shaped member Jfor actuating the same.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. the times between Contact LOUIS A. M. PHELAN. 

